Weekend Poll Top Three: Elton John’s Music Scores Big with Broadway Fans

Pop icon Cyndi Lauper will be the latest Grammy-winning musician to pen a Broadway score as the new musical Kinky Boots readies to strut into the Al Hirschfeld Theatre this spring. With a slew of new shows penned by famous musicians on the horizon, Broadway.com asked readers to choose which original Broadway score written by a pop star is their favorite. The votes have been tallied, and two musicals by Sir Elton John bookend an edgy rock score by Duncan Sheik. Check out the results below!

1. Elton John (Billy Elliot) – 25%
Grammy winner Elton John earned a Tony nomination for his score of the stage adaptation of Billy Elliot. John, along with Lee Hall, wrote a magnificent score that featured powerhouse songs like “Solidarity,” emotional ballads like “The Letter” and numbers that allowed the show’s amazing dancers to take center stage. Billy Elliot opened on November 13, 2008 at Broadway’s Imperial Theatre and ran through January 8, 2012.


2. Duncan Sheik (Spring Awakening) – 24%
Duncan Sheik’s first musical, Spring Awakening, racked up seven 2007 Tony Awards including Best Musical and Best Orchestrations, as well as a trophy for Sheik's score. The show’s electric score burst with sexual energy, emotional angst and the sounds of first love. From “Touch Me” to “Don’t Do Sadness,” the score of Spring Awakening has became a favorite for the current generation of musical theater fans.


3. Elton John (The Lion King) – 12%
John made his debut on Broadway as a composer with the musical adaptation of the hit Disney film The Lion King back in 1997. John contributed new music to the show, which also featured songs from the original movie like “Circle of Life” and “Can’t You Feel the Love Tonight,” and nabbed his first Tony nomination in 1998. Now a Broadway institution, The Lion King continues to play to sold out houses at the Minskoff Theatre.

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